Sesshomaru and the Inu Demon Girl
by aziwolf313
Summary: My name is Yuzuki. I'm a yokai, and I have lost my memories. I was rescued by a demon named Sesshomaru. There is nothing left for me to do but join him and his two companions. I cannot lie to myself though, I start to find myself attracted to him, and find friendship in his companions. I'm slowly recovering, but what secrets lie beneath them?
1. Chapter 1

Intro

My name...what is my name? I can see the moon. My name is Yuzuki. What is this place? How did I get here? Who...who are you? He is coming closer. He has silver hair, a cresent moon on his forehead. Who...is he?


	2. I Lost My Memories

Author here! I'd like to add that I do not own any characters in this story other than the character Yuzuki! Sesshomaru, Rin, Ahun, and Jaken belong to the writer/director of the anime/manga Inuyasha. I hope you enjoy!

It was dark that much I knew. My heart was aching in my chest, my body was cold, and there was nothing. It was black, and when I opened my eyes, it still seamed black. Though, there was the hint of a few flickering stars that sparked in the light of the full moon. It was blurry, and when I lifted my arm it felt heavy, as if something was weighing it down. Rubbing my eyes, the world became a little clearer. I saw trees, visible only because of my keen eyesight. I didn't know where I was. I didn't know who I was.

There was a…a demon standing in front of me. His face was full of markings. There was a crescent moon on his forehead, and something that looked like two slashes on both cheeks, triangle like. Who was this man? He seemed so angry as he stood above me, a sword in his hand. He lifted his face a little when he saw me looking at him, and then put his sword away before turning around and walking away. He was wearing white, which was all I could see because my vision was starting to become blurred again.

I heard a sound, of perhaps a voice talking. It was rather irritating and high pitched. He was screaming, begging the man not to leave. He said a name, but I couldn't quite catch it. I saw something move beside me, and I could smell the stench of human. I turned my head, but pain raced up my spine. She was a little girl, and couldn't be any older than six. Her hair was black as night. It was all I could…all I could. The world started going black again.

I woke up the next day feeling a lot better. I was in a cave, and didn't know if what I had seen was a dream. I didn't know where I was, who I was, or what was going on. My memories….they were gone. I picked up a knee and rested my clawed hand on it. From what I could see I had no injuries. I wiggled my ears on top of my head and listened to my surrounding. I could hear a deer feeding on grass in the forest, and birds nesting with their children. I could hear everything, though some of the sounds I could not place.

Standing up and flicking my tail from side to side I took my hands and ran them over my body. I was wearing the white top with red trimmings of a kimono, and the bottoms of them red with white trimmings. I didn't have anything in my pockets. My hair was tied up in a red ribbon, a long pony tail with silver hair that went down to my butt. Why is it that I remember I am a dog demon, yet I cannot remember where I come from or even what I had on me before everything was just darkness?

It was fairly lit inside of the cave, and I knew it was very bright outside. I went outside and put my arm up to block the blinding sunlight. My eyes, which I could remember were a golden color, burned. It was as if I hadn't seen sunlight in days. The grass beneath my bare feet was a beautiful green just like the leaves on the tall trees. I could hear a stream running nearby and decided it would be the best area to stay for a little while.

I walked, finally able to drop my arm as my eyes adjusted, slowly as I was examining my surroundings. It was a very decent place, an abundance of animals which meant plenty of food for me. However, I could smell something. The scent was…different. I couldn't quite remember what it meant, but something was telling me it was dangerous which equaled problem because I didn't have a weapon of any kind. Ignoring the feeling, I kept heading toward the loud sound of the water smashing into the larger body of water.

By the depth of the splash, I could tell it wasn't a very large waterfall, and it wasn't a large pound either. I didn't hear continuous running water yet, so I figured that the water I was heading to have been just a pond which would gather small animals for me to feed on. Granted, I would rather not chase them down with simply my claws and large teeth, and I would greatly rather not chase them down in my large beast form. If only I had a weapon.

I stopped, because there was another scent in the air. It was familiar, something I had smelled before, but I couldn't remember because the memory wouldn't come to me. I walked slowly and carefully. There was something in the smell that I found kind and gentle, though I didn't know why. The smell of water was getting stronger, and the pond was coming into view. I saw through the trees something that looked like a two headed dragon. It was large, much larger than I, and had a saddle on its back. Its eyes were a piercing yellow with a slit as a pupil that turned toward me as I cowered behind a tree.

It didn't say anything, but I knew because it had a saddle that its owner must be close by. Walking out slowly and twitched my ears and listened for something. I heard a voice behind the dragon, a small innocent voice. The animal rose to its feet, revealing two small feet behind it. She was wearing an orange and cream wrap kimono, and had to be around five. I walked toward her, but the dragon's heads turned toward me, almost angry. A small demon walked in front of it, asking if it was alright until he turned toward me. He was caring a staff of some sort. He was green and small with a beak-like mouth. He looked like a lizard, but I wasn't sure.

One again I was angered by the fact that I could remember these things, yet I could not remember who I was or where I was. The little demon pointed at me. "Oh look Rin," he stated, his voice sounding very familiar. I had heard it in the dream. "Are you the demon Lord Sesshomaru used his Tessaiga on last night?" He spoke again, directing the question on me, yet I had no idea what he was talking about. "Can you speak?" he asked, and I narrowed my eyes at him. Suddenly the little child walked around the dragon, with big brown eyes that were curious and flowers in her hand.

"Of course it is Jaken. I remember!" she came bounding to me, a hand full of white flowers with a yellow center. The scent…it was that as a human. She seemed harmless enough, but something about the smell. It was the smell I felt was dangerous not moments ago. Was she the smell? She must've been. "Here you go!" she looked up at me with a kind smile as her eyes were closed. She seemed pleased with her action. I reached forward, taking the three flowers into my hand and holding it next to me limply. My face was plain as I watched her smile even bigger and skip back to the little demon.

"Hello! Am I being ignored here!" the little demon, Jaken, bounced up and down angrily. "I asked you a question!" he looked at me, almost dropping his staff to the ground. I looked over to him and then lifted my hand with the flowers and stared at them. The little girl, the human known as Rin, I had seen her before in the dream. However the more this seemed to play out; the more I started realizing it wasn't a dream.

I looked at him..."I-" I opened my mouth, trying to speak, but I didn't know what to say. Could I tell this stranger that I had lost my memories? He seemed to know me. "I can speak." I decided against it. "The young girl answered for me." I added, knowing it would be a good back up for my silence.

"My name is Rin." The young girl pet the dragon as she looked at me with a smile. Another smell, another one of the smells that had entered my nose on the way there, the other one I couldn't place. I looked over as the branches rustled and man in white, no a demon, walked through the trees. He was wearing a large fur around his shoulder that trailed behind him. It was white like his hair, perhaps it was silver. He was the man I had seen in my dreams, or what I had thought was a dream. He had a crescent moon on his forehead, two marking on each cheek, and had a sharp face and distinct line. He was wearing black shoes, and had two swords in his yellow belt with a blue-like trimming that wrapped around a back armor with a metal thing that came out of it and hovered over his shoulder. His arms were long, with sharp nails a lot like mine.

His kimono is white with red flower pedals at the top that trim the ends of his sleeves. He was…beautiful. However, his face was dark as his white skin was pale in the light. He had a strict face, lips that were in a line, eyes that were cold and distant. There was something that was very dangerous about him, yet I seemed intrigued. He looked at me and then at the two comrades, and kept walking toward them without talking. "We need to get moving." He said simply, and his voice was calm and collected.

I stepped forward and the tall man turned to look at me. I wish I could tell what he was thinking, and if he even wanted me there or remembered me though I had never had any memory of me meeting him. "I…" I started, not sure what to say. I didn't know what to do.


	3. Following Sesshomaru and His Companions

The tall man stared at me with his golden eyes. I felt almost like I was looking into a mirror. Was I perhaps related to him? I doubted it, because why would a brother, uncle, or father treat their blood the way he was treated me. Yes, he looked at me like I was a stranger. He looked at the young girl, Rin, as if she was his responsibility. He didn't care what happened to me. "Sesshomaru, can she come with us?" Rin asked, and he looked at her with the same face. It seemed as though it never changed.

He looked away from both of us, in the direction he had come from. "I don't care what she does. We are going." He started walking, his arms hanging by his side.

"Of course, lord Sesshomaru! Come on Rin, don't get left behind!" He started pulling the dragon and following him. Rin looked over to me, her heart sad that I was not moving. She was…nice. It was unlike the feeling I had gotten from her human smell—the feeling of hate. I wondered what the feeling was for, and hoped it was from a memory. Her black hair and her small red tie that kept a portion of her hair in a ponytail jumped as she walked toward me.

"See, he says you can come with us…so come on! He will take care of you." She grinned with a bright face and full of spirit. I had to admit to myself, she was not easy to hate.

"I didn't hear him say that. Besides…" I looked to the green grass, watching as the small wind blew the blades to the side. "It doesn't really sound like he wants me to come." I looked up and watched as they started to get farther and farther away. She needed to hurry, because I didn't want him to come back and blame me for her stubborn behavior. "You should go,"

"Please, there has never been a girl around. I'm not going until you agree to follow!" She looked at me, and her face was still turned up in a smile. It made my heart feel warm, yet her smell still made me feel uneasy. I took in a gulp of air through my nose and walked in front of her toward the direction…Sesshomaru was it, was heading. I heard Rin scream in delight behind me as she rushed ahead, her feet slamming against the soft grass as she tried to catch up. I noticed she looked back several times to make sure I was still there.

I could feel the breeze swish my hair as we walked, the ears on top of my head, small but noticeable, sensitive as it rushed by them. We caught up to the group in less than a minute, and the dog demon didn't look back to see if I had followed. Though, I was sure he could smell me close by as I could smell his intoxicating aroma. What did I smell like to him? To me, his demon blood and the similarities we shared were strong. It was the smell that really told me just how alike we were, though still a different breed, we were born of the same demon blood—of dog demons.

Sesshomaru

The air was cool today, and I could tell Rin was not going to let up. The woman was bound to end up following us. That was just perfect, because protecting Rin was turning out to be more challenging that I would have hoped. Though, I would never allow anything to happen to her. The woman…she was like me though. Hopefully she would provide to me more useful, especially when it comes to protecting Rin. Jaken was of hardly any use, but he did keep her company and did as I asked. This woman though, I cannot remember her name. She merely mumbled it the night I brought her back to life.

She was cut up terribly, and I can't help but wonder what must've happened to a dog demon that has a lot of the same blood as I. Her smell…it gives it away. She smells so sweet…so inebriating. She smells of my kind, though she has ears and a tail like a half demon, it is very clear she is full-fledged. Why is this? Something is certainly different about her. Yet…I cannot lie to myself. It pleases me she is here. My demon side calls to her, and tells me of her beauty though it is clear in my eyes. This will be troublesome.

Yuzuki

We walk, and walk, and walk, and walk, and walk some more. The scenery has not changed: green grass, green trees with perfect trunks, flowers I cannot name, and the backsides of: the little demon, the dragon, Rin, and Sesshomaru. Jaken voice, high pitched and annoying, has spoken many times to reply to Rin's questions, though when he continues and does not stop, Sesshomaru thankfully quiets him. It is the only thing he ever says. Rin however, seems to love to learn. She asks about certain flowers and plants and what they do, birds that fly over us, animals that run away from our approach, and noises. The small demon seems to know many of the answers.

"What about that one Jaken?" She is sitting on top of the dragon, it's two heads keeping forward. I see her pointing to a flower with a large root, pink and flowery like an open rose. I felt a surge run through my spine up to my brain as I suddenly see something else before me. I was having a flashback. I saw as I was running through the forest and picked the flower and its root. I cut the root off with my claws and ran back through the trees. I came upon a man, I couldn't quite see his face because it was blurred but he was around a fire with a pot over it. He was small, like a child. I was no longer looking at him as I put the root into the pot. I heard his voice. "Good, the root will help my cut, let it soften and then take it out and put it on my gash. It will protect from infection." The voice echoed inside my head as I zoned back into my reality.

"Why…I don't know Rin. I have never seen it before." He said as he looked at the flower in all possible directions. I looked at Rin as she looked at Jaken surprisingly, and then at Sesshomaru who seemed as if he couldn't care less.

"It can protect from infection. The root can be boiled and placed on a cut." I said quietly, but apparently loud enough for them to hear me. Rin turned toward me and clapped her hands and Jaken stared at me with an open mouth.

"Wow! Way to go!" Rin said happily and then looked forward again. I noticed, though it was only slight, that Sesshomaru had turned his head toward me. Was he interested in my knowledge? Though, it was only by pure chance that I knew what that one plant was. I had known none of the others that Rin had pointed to. "Jaken you got outsmarted by a girl!" Rin teased, and Jaken seemed to take it to the heart. He started whining as we continued though we never really stopped walking.

"I did not get outsmarted; she knew one, just one that I didn't know. Oh Rin how could you say that!" tears started to fall from his closed eyes.

"Oh Jaken, you take things to seriously." She giggled.

"Rin you are so cruel." He sniffled but at least his stupid crying stopped. My ears were so sensitive, how could Sesshomaru stand it? I was about ready to stuff something into the little, green demon's mouth. I looked up, trying to ignore their talking as I followed behind. The sun was setting, and because we were surrounded by forest, it was getting very dark. Surly the man stopped some time? How could Rin, a small, human girl, stand it? I had been following them for hours, and they hadn't stopped since I had started.

We walked about an hour longer; Jaken used his staff as a light, fire bursting through the mouth of one of the heads. Finally Sesshomaru stopped, though he didn't say anything at first. He turned his head back toward us, and looked at Rin. She looked back at him, her eyes tired and even from here I could hear her stomach growling. "We will rest here. Jaken start a fire and watch Rin." He said before he started walking ahead. What was his deal?

"Yes me'lord." Jaken replied as Rin hopped of the dragon and started looking around the small area for firewood. She was so small yet she was grabbing large pieces of wood that had fallen from the trees. There was one large one that she couldn't quite add to the ones she had in her arms. I walked toward her and picked it up easily. She beamed up at me again, and bounded off toward the center of the area we stopped at as she dropped the wood and gathered more. I dropped the piece on top of her pile and Jaken used his staff to light the sticks until they lit and burned a bright red.

The fire was a lot brighter than the fire that came from his staff and lit up the area very well, though I could see even without it. "Rin, don't go off to far!" Jaken yelled after Rin who froze when a howl rose through the hair. She stopped dead in her tracks and backed up with the wood that was in her hands. She turned around, her face terrified as she ran toward us and dropped what she had by the burning mass. I looked at her with close eyebrows, curious what she was so afraid of. The how was simply a hunting call.

"Rin…" I said softly and looked down at her as she stayed close to the fire. It was obvious she was too afraid to go near it. She looked up at me, the fire glinting and moving in the reflection of her eyes. "Stay here. I'll get the rest…" I said, trying to soothe her, but she only nodded. I walked over to the area the howl had came from and started picking up larger logs that would last a lot longer than what she was grabbing. I walked back moments later with more than enough wood for the night as I dropped it out of the way and moved the pieces that were close to the fire.

Rin looked over to the fire, a smile on her face. "Thank you," She said with her gleam back in the smile she was holding. I nodded my head, giving her a half smile. I couldn't help but want to ask, but seeing as though how much the howl had frightened her, I didn't. Jaken walked over to the dragon and pulled two blankets out of the sack that was hooked to the saddle. He put it around the fire and Rin sat on it, getting comfy. They weren't ready to sleep yet, and I heard the rustling leaves as Sesshomaru's footsteps came back into earshot. Moments later he returned, five dead fish in his clawed hands.

I was leaning against the dragon that was lying down now, his heads pointed away from the fire. My arms were crossed as Sesshomaru looked at the pile of wood and then at me. He handed the fish to Jaken who took them as Rin stood and took the rest. They said "Thank you lord Sesshomaru." At the same time and started spearing them through the sticks that Rin had collected and cooked them over the fire. Sesshomaru stood there and stared at the fire, his eyes flashed to mine, and I looked away quickly. I could only hope he didn't think I was staring at him.

The food was cooked, and I found it odd that he didn't want to eat with them. Jaken ate the fish and so did Rin, who offered one of the fish to me. I took it kindly and took a bite out of. I suddenly felt revolted by the taste. My ears stood erect and my tail poked up as I turned and spit the food onto the ground. It tasted awful. No wonder the smell wasn't appealing either! Perhaps demons couldn't eat cooked food? I couldn't remember what I could eat. I looked up and dropped the fish to the ground as Sesshomaru was looking at me. I felt my cheeks turn red in embarrassment. How must that have looked to him?

He looked back toward the fire as he stood there, the fire flickering in the reflection of his eyes. He definitely didn't say much, and I was thankful Rin and Jaken hadn't noticed it when I spit it out. I leaned back against the dragon and looked into the black of the forest. Rin talked finished with her food and Jaken cleaned up the mess. Sesshomaru watched as Rin got out a nap sack and rolled it onto the ground, he moved toward her when she lyed down, her eyes blinking like they were very heavy.

Jaken had already fallen asleep against a nearby tree as Sesshomaru put the blanket over Rin and then walked back to where he was standing and sat down on the ground, his legs crossed, and one arm draped over his leg. He was watching Rin as she settle into the sack, and I could hear as her heart slowed to her falling asleep. I looked from her to Sesshomaru and opened my mouth, but then closed it again. "You look as if you wish to say something. If you do just say it. You look like an idiot with your mouth open." His eyes were staring at the fire.

"I was just going to ask…is Rin afraid of wolves?" I decided that I had nothing to lose right?

He was quiet for a moment, but then spoke as if remembering something. "Rin was attacked and killed by wolves." He said simply, yet I did not understand. How was she killed? I looked at her with my eyebrows close together. "You seem confused." He stated.

"How was she killed…if she here?" I looked at him, and he lifted his head, looking at me with the same face, yet there was something different about his eyes. It was possibly surprise though I couldn't tell.

"You don't remember?" his voice was deep, soft like an angel, yet fierce like the demon he was. I shook my head and he looked away from me. "Very well. I see you have lost your memories." He said suddenly, and I looked at him with surprise. "First, it was clear you did not recognize us. Second, you ate that human food as if you were expecting something more than the taste of vile shit. Your memories will come back, though I do not know why they left you in the first place. My sword brings the dead back to life, that is all I am willing to say for now." He glanced at me, seeing if his response was enough.

I nodded as my chest rose and fell. It was clear. "I…was brought back to life." I said staring at the dancing flames, and took Sesshomaru's silence as a yes.


	4. A Demon and a Sword

I lost my memories because I died. I lost who I was. I was brought back to life by a sword, the sword wielded by a man, by him. I had tried sleeping, but there was no possible way. Every time I closed my eyes I felt myself die in all sorts of unimaginable ways, and some weren't even realistic. I couldn't help but wonder if one of them were real. I watched Rin as she stirred in her sleep, rolling over toward the fire. Slightly my eyes moved up toward Jaken, and I found that his light snoring was unamusing.

I shifted my eyes toward the other side of the fire. Sesshomaru lay still with his back against a tree. His eyes were closed, though that was the only change in his face from the day. His mouth was slightly pointed down, and he seemed a little more peaceful. He was stunning. He was breathing slowly, and I couldn't tell if he was sleeping or just resting his eyes. I felt tired, so I knew we slept, but he was like a statue.

I pulled my hand up and looked at it. My nails were long and sharp, and my skin was flawless. There was no sign at all that I had died, and I felt fine. I remembered back to my dream, though it must've been reality. I had felt sick, like I was dying. I brought my hand to my chest as I remembered my heart beat so fatally slow. I had seen Sesshomaru stand in front of me, sheathing his sword. It was true; I had died, but how? Why did I lose my memories? I had to wonder if any of them knew what happened, or if they had simple came across me by chance.

I stood up, my demon feet able to walk across the ground without the smallest sound. I walked through the woods, staring up at the trees and looking for a sky with the moon of Sesshomaru's head. I watched the stars twinkle as I walked, my tail trailing behind me, hitting a lose stick every now and then. My ears twitched, listening to the forest, but it was sleeping. I was far enough away to where I didn't see the glow of the fire anymore and leaned against a tree.

I leaned my head back and stared at the sky, praying to the moon that it would give me some hint of what was going on, like the night I had died, it had told me before I became unconscious that my name was Yuzuki. It has not spoken to me since. I squeezed my eyes shut, begging my brain to tell me anything. I just wanted to remember. What if I had family out there…

My ears twitched, and I had thought I heard something when suddenly a figure was emerging from the darkness. I saw his white hair, his marking on his face, and his long fur wrap that was slung over his shoulder. "I…I'm sorry Sesshomaru…if I woke you." I said, my voice shaking even though I had tried to cover my sadness. He looked at me, his face quiet and his eyes shining in even the smallest moonlight.

"Feeling guilty for yourself will not help your situation." He said simply, and I opened my mouth and then closed it again. I didn't want to sound stupid, because I didn't know what to tell him. I couldn't help how I felt. His fur pelt swayed in the wind, and his boots blending with the darkness. His sharp nose probably had smelled where I was, and there was no doubt that he didn't hear me. "I didn't see what happened to you. All I can tell you is that I caught the scent of dog demon blood and followed it. I found you with tears in your clothes, blood all over your body, and as you died I healed you." He explained, and it did not make me feel any better.

"Thank you," I replied as full heartedly as I could. He had saved my life after all. "I don't know how I can ever repay the debt I have to you." I added sadly and stared at the ground. I could tell that his jaw tensed and his eyes grew hard. Was he getting angry with me? Without another word he turned around and started heading back toward the camp, and I followed him silently. What else was I supposed to do? He was the only one that even knew at least a portion of who I was even if it was the dead portion.

I slept very little that night, and days started to go by even more slowly. A week went by before I had another memory flash, and Sesshomaru hardly looked at me. The memory was simple and useless. Sesshomaru had gotten Rin some noodles, and I had remembered as I sat in front of a fire, I seemed to be alone, and I was cooking chicken and noodles, but I was a demon, so I couldn't help but wonder who I was cooking for.

The more time went by, the more I kept thinking about what my past could have been like. The more time went by, the more I thought about Sesshomaru too. He was so quiet, always in his own thoughts, but he was taking care of us. I was mainly in charge of watching Rin when he went off. I had also learned from him that we feed on demonic energy of the demons we kill. He had killed every demon we came across, and I think it was in order to feed both of us. Jaken had told me that he normally let most of them go if they didn't mean any harm.

I was wearing different clothes now. We had passed by a traveler that was selling clothes, and he wasn't afraid of us. It was a light blue kimono with short sleeves and a lot tighter than regular kimonos. It was open toward the bottom and spread out toward the back, revealing my legs. I had to cut a hole for my tail which was embarrassing, but I liked it a lot better. We were walking like always, and I had gotten a lot more courageous around Sesshomaru. I wasn't afraid to tell him when I thought Rin was hungry, and I and she had actually become good friends.

She was on my back as we walked, talking to me about her favorite color and the foods that matched that color. I turned my head and smiled at her. "My favorite color is blue." I admitted to her, and she praised all the things so could name that was blue. I could see how Sesshomaru had become so attached to her. She was so small and innocent, and she seemed to find the good in almost everything. The only thing I didn't get was what she saw in him other than a father figure.

Rin put her face close to my ear and whispered. "Yuzuki…I'm kind of hungry, but we already stopped once and I don't want to bother Lord Sesshomaru with it again." She pulled back and looked around, almost like she was looking for a snack. I looked forward at Sesshomaru and saw the smallest turn of his head. Rin didn't understand, I guessed, that Sesshomaru could hear every single thing she whispered to me. I watched as his chest rose, almost impatiently, and then fell back down.

"Rin…if you are hungry, you must tell me." He stated in his always regular voice. "Yuzuki…find her something to eat." He kept walking forward. I continued to follow him knowing that there were berries ahead, just like I knew he knew that too. Ah-un and Jaken had gone on an errand for Sesshomaru, though I hadn't caught what the errand was. We got to where the berries were and I put Rin down who bounded at the sight of them.

"Look Yuzuki, they are blue!" she grabbed the small, round blue berries and plopped one of them in her mouth. I had wanted badly to join her, but I had tried fruit and it tastes even worse than the cooked fish. Rin and I stayed there for a moment as she picked and ate berries and Sesshomaru kept going. Suddenly there was a scent in the air. I had come to learn that it was a demon. The ground shook violently as a demon that was large and brown emerged from the dirt and split the ground around us.

Rin ran around and hid behind me. She yelled my name and I held up my claws as the demon growled and bellowed as it held up it chubby arms and bared its sharp fangs. "You there dog demon. Your demonic aura smells delicious!" he rubbed his belly and licked his lips. His voice was booming and crackly, almost like he was growling the entire time.

I half smiled at the demon, allowing my sharp incisors to show and then flexed my hand so that my claws looked sharper. It wasn't the first time a demon had come across my path. Every time it was just Rin and I a demon would try and kill me. "You smell weak and worthless." I mused and jumped up into the air, spinning until my feet were down as I flew forward and smashed them into the demons head. I sunk in slightly and pushed off back into the air as the demon fell over. I landed effortlessly, scanned the area and found Rin hiding behind a tree. "Stay there Rin!" I yelled as the demon stood back up, blocking her from my sight.

"I will devour you and then your precious human slave!" he snarled and snapped his flesh forward which entangled my body. One of my arms were trapped against myself, and I took my free hand and sliced off the demons tentacle. It yelled out in pain and grabbed at its arm. "You will pay!" it reached forward with its other arm and slammed into me, flying me toward a tree. Pain snapped into my spine as I fell to the ground. My ears twitched as I heard the wind from his arm flying toward me again. I reacted quickly, fighting against the pain.

I jumped forward and slashed at the demons belly; I hit my mark and put forward large gashes as he shrieked in pain. I landed and just as I did the demon thrust his tentacle through my thigh. Blood shot from my leg and agonizing pain flew into my leg. I pulled hard, forcing his arm from me as I jumped and slashed at the demons head, separating it from the body. I landed on my feet and fell to my knees from the terrible pain. The demons head rolled to the ground, and his body fell, blood shooting from his dead body.

"Yuzuki!" Rin yelled, running out from behind the tree and grabbing onto my shoulder. "You're hurt!" she shouted into my ear, and I could feel myself losing blood. Suddenly I watched as the demonic aura from the demon lifted into the air and drew closer to me. It hovered around me, like it always did, and then I absorbed it. It was the first injury I had received from an attack, and I was surprised to see as the hole in my leg started to disappear and my skin grow back. I didn't feel any pain anymore, other than a slight stinging and burning sensation where it was. There was a large red spot there, so I guessed I hadn't absorbed enough.

"It's alright Rin…everything is fine." I looked at her, and she smiled and threw her arms around my neck. I hugged her back and smiled. I looked up as Sesshomaru emerged through the trees, and was surprised to see worry on his face, but as he saw Rin and the demon his worry disappeared. I stood up and Rin ran over to him.

"Lord Sesshomaru, another demon attacked us, but Yuzuki killed it." She looked at me, and he looked my head as his eyes traveled down my body and rested on my leg.

"I see Rin. Are you alright." He asked, and it was the first time I had ever heard him ask a question like that. I nodded my head as a reply and he turned around. "Good…let us keep moving." He started walking again. It was long after that I heard the roar of Ah-Uh's voice and Jaken landed him right beside us. "Jaken, do you have what I asked?" he looked at him with his death stare that he only ever gave Jaken.

"Of course, Lord Sesshomaru…here is the sword you requested." He jumped off the dragon and handed him a sheathed sword. The sheath dark blue with a purple wrapping around it, and the hilt was a dark blue too. He pulled the sword out of the hilt and I watched as it gleamed brightly. It was very sharp and had an excellent point. He slid the blade back into the sheath and looked at me. "Here." He held out his hand toward me, the sword in his hand. I looked up at him and then at the sword. "I think it's about time you have your own weapon. You need more than just your claws to protect Rin." He added.

I reached forward and took the sword from him. I held it in my hands, and somehow it just felt right. Looking up at him I saw a small hint of a smile pull at Sesshomaru's lips, but it was gone in a second. "Thank you…Lord Sesshomaru." I said gratefully and put the sword into the black wrap around my kimono top.

"Let's get moving." He was facing away from me, but somehow I felt like it was a gift from him to me. Somehow I was starting to feel like he cared about me.


	5. Healing

I rested my hands on the hilt of my sword as we walked by a rushing river. Rin was skipping beside us throwing rocking inside of it and seeing how far it would travel down the river. Rin was walking next to me, and Ah-Un was on the other side of me. Jaken walked in front of me, and as always Sesshomaru was in the front. Though I thought something had changed between Sesshomaru and I, nothing really changed. He was still the same old inaudible dog demon.

My leg still hadn't healed, and I was just itching to use my new sword. "Lady Yuzuki, look." She said pointing into the water. There was fish swimming against the current in the river. She kneeled next to the river and watched them swim. I looked over slowly to see if Sesshomaru was still walking, but he had stopped and was watching her eyes search the water. I smiled at him and his eyes landed on mine, but when they did he turned around and continued to walk.

I took a breath in and let it out. "Come on Rin," I said as I stood up and started following Ah-un. Jaken was standing by Rin scolding her in that high pitched voice for not following. She laughed at him and started skipping happily behind us. As Jaken always did, he whined about no one caring about him and no one listening to him. I had gotten so used to it that I started expecting when he would start it up again. I didn't understand why he was so whiney. He didn't realize just how much we relied on him for so much and how much Sesshomaru appreciated him taking care of Rin even if he didn't show it at all. At least that's what I thought.

We were heading toward a village that had a few regenerating demons because Sesshomaru wanted to test out his bakusaiga. I had never seen it in action but from what Jaken told me it was very strong and could keep a demon from regenerating. It was about the middle of the day and Rin had just eaten. We were making great time as we traveled with the river and a large wall came into view.

I could smell the demonic aura as we approached, and I knew that the demons would be able to smell us too. I had to wonder exactly what sort of demons was living here. Sesshomaru wasn't very specific, though he never is. We all stopped, and I started having a weird feeling. Something was watching this, and I could tell by Sesshomaru's shifting eyes that he knew it too. We were both dog demons, so I knew that he wouldn't be able to pinpoint exactly where they were because the smell was everywhere. It was surrounding us.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a demon appeared in front of us and forced it's arm through Sesshomaru's unarmored shoulder, ripping right through his fur pelt. "Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin yelled as he staggered backwards and my heart leapt in my chest. I pulled my sword out and held it in front of me, but it was too late, the demon had disappeared. Sesshomaru held his shoulder in his arm, he was bearing his fangs and his eyes were shut. It was very clear that he was pissed.

"Coward," Sesshomaru said as his eyes slid open. I put my sword away and walked over to him. I was worried, but knowing him he wouldn't complain even if it was killing him.

"Let me see." I demanded but he pulled away.

"I'm fine." He said sternly and kept walking.

"Quit being so stubborn," I growled and grabbed his hand. He gave me cold eyes as I looked at his shoulder and, just like my leg had been, I could see straight through it. I furrowed my brow and twitched my ears, thinking about what I could possibly do to help. "Take some of my demonic aura." I took his hand and his eyes widened a bit as I took his claws and slid them down the length of my arm. I felt as the sharpness of them slit into my flesh and blood poured from my arm and dripped onto the floor. A smoky substance arose from my arm and was absorbed into Sesshomaru.

Almost immediately his arm began to heal, and a lot faster than my leg had. I looked at it astonished and let go of his arm even if I enjoyed feeling his strength beneath my fingers. His arm completely healed as I dropped my arm, the blood sliding down my fingers and dripping off my long claws. He looked at me as Rin brought me a torn piece of fabric from the satchel on Ah-Un. "Thank you Rin." I said appreciatively.

"Your welcome, you did heal Lord Sesshomaru after all." She beamed up at me, her cute little face so perfect and round. I wrapped up my arm and the blood soaked it almost right away. I looked up at Sesshomaru's eyes, which were still watching me. I didn't understand why. He blinked, holding them closed a little longer than usual and turned toward the village. He pulled out his sword with his right hand and walked toward the door.

"Stay here." He said as got closer and stopped right before the entrance. We could hear voices whispering in the wind.

"Oh so you haven't had enough." The voices slithered through the air. I rubbed my arm as I watched him, he was waiting, and he was ready. Suddenly the door burst open and villagers ran out screaming. There were three demons chasing the villagers, yet there was something different about them. They seem to be refracting the light, making them almost invisible. They licked their lips, and they looked like human lizards. Sesshomaru waited until the demons got closer, almost swords distance away before he raised his sword.

The villager that was in front of him fell to his knees in fright as he shouted, "Bakusaiga!" The sword was slung forward as it slashed into the head of the first demon and traveled to the others in a wave.

"What!?" the last demon said as he started to dissolve from the bottom up. "We cannot die! Why are we not regenerating!? No!" he screamed his last word before his head disappeared and fell to the ground in multiple pieces. He sheathed his sword and turned away from them. Their demonic auras rose as he absorbed them and turned around, walking back toward us.

"Yay Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin shouted.

"Never a doubt in my mind Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken chimed in.

"Yuzuki." Sesshomaru demanded my attention. I looked up at him as he passed me but didn't meet my eye. "Go, take care of the last one with your Naganami"

I put my right hand on my sword and pulled it out looking around for what he was talking about. I walked forward, remembering that these demons were harder to see than most. I grabbed the sword with both hands and used my golden eyes to scan the area. I saw a slight movement by the dead pieces of demon and before it even launched itself at me I used my sword to slice toward the area. As the blade cut into the midsection of the demon it became visible. It shrieked as its last breath escaped from its mouth and I sheathed my sword.

I turned around with a smile as I could feel its demonic aura soak into my body. I felt the wounds beneath the wrap grow together and pulled it off to find four small white slashes down my arms. It was just like my last wound. It didn't fully heal like Sesshomaru had. I looked up at him confused, but he turned and started walking again. "Where are we going now me' lord?" Jaken asked curiously.

"Yeah where are we going?" Rin asked on top of Ah-Un. I ran to catch up to them as we followed the river back. The sun was starting to go down, and the night would come soon. Where ever we were going, we wouldn't get there before dark.

"We are going to see my mother." Sesshomaru said simply as if it wasn't a big deal. I widened my eyes at the thought. Sesshomaru's mother? The dog demon that would have birthed the great Sesshomaru? I started to feel nervous and couldn't help but wonder why.

"Your mother me' lord?" Jaken asked as he walked beside him and Ah-Un. "The woman that doesn't wish to remember my name and probably despises Rin and I. You know she thinks you are going to eat Rin?" he started to babble.

"Haha…I'm pretty sure there are a lot of people that don't wish to remember your name Jaken." Rin laughed at the thought, and it was clear to me they had met her before.

"You are so mean Rin!" he started crying to himself again and I shook my head.

"Jaken." Sesshomaru said angrily and Jaken stopped instantly. His silver hair blew in the wind and he reached down to grab Jaken by the back of his clothes and put him on top of Ah-Un. He bounded over the river, jumping halfway across and landed on a rock and then effortlessly jumped to the other side. Ah-Un's blue flairs from his legs grew brighter as he flew into the air and across the river, landing on the other side. I walked to the edge of the river, careful as I bounded off the ground and then suddenly felt weightless as I flew across the river and landed on the same rock Sesshomaru had, and then copying his actions and landing on the other side. It felt amazing and my face couldn't hide my excitement.

"We can fly!" I beamed and Sesshomaru looked back at me with his blank expression but I could tell he thought I was crazy. He didn't say anything and turned back around and started walking again. I breathed in and calmed myself down. I was just a little shocked; it wasn't my fault that I had lost the memory of me flying! Suddenly my vision faded to black and a flashback played. I was high in the air, and something was different about me though I couldn't tell what. I was high in the clouds, the sun blinding above me and the ground way below.

I was just flying, and I couldn't remember where I was heading, and the next thing I knew I was watching the four of them walk away and disappear into the woods. Rin was singing about me being left behind, much like she did with Jaken. I caught up with them and laughed. "Who's being left behind?" I gave her a smirk and she laughed. She was something else. I was growing attached to them. I could no longer imagine my life without them. I was starting to not care about my past.


	6. Memories of a Black Haired Human

We were walking up a mountain and I wasn't even breaking a sweat. Jaken and Rin had gotten on Ah and Un about an hour ago. Sesshomaru wouldn't give in and tell us why we were going to see his mother, and by the way Jaken talked about her, they rarely saw her. I wondered what she was like. I had never heard him talk about his parents before. I wanted to ask about his father and his childhood, but he didn't seem like the type of person to dwell on the past.

I heard a song being sung by a bird above us. I looked up and stopped as it flew in circles around me happy and free. Suddenly my vision started to go black as a different vision appeared. I was hurt, and I could feel the pain in my stomach. I held my hand up and saw blood covering my hand. I looked up with tears in my eyes and saw a man. He was tall with long black hair and a red kimono with his sword drawn. I could smell the sweat and his human aura. He wore something around his wrist, a beaded bracelet. Something about it made me wary.

The image then changed and I started to feel weak in the knees. I was in a clearing with the same man; we were sitting side by side as a bird fed her children in a nest above us. I looked at him, and I felt different, instead of fear and sadness I felt love for him…a human. My eyes started to tingle as the image changed again. I was walking with him down a dirt path. I was smiling and I felt warm and happy, but it changed in an instant when I looked up and saw a woman. The visions disappeared before I could get a good look at her. I blinked my eyes and I was kneeling on the ground with my hands in the dirt for support.

I saw a knee and a foot in front of me, white pants ballooned outward as I looked up to find Sesshomaru in front of me. His mouth was in a thin line and his eyes were…worried? His eyes searched mine as I felt the water drying on my face. "I…I'm fine." I said looking at him as I wiped my face with the back of my hand.

"What happened Lady Yuzuki?" Rin asked as she turned around on Ah-Un and leaned over his saddle.

"Just a few memories…it was a lot to take in at once." I stood up as Sesshomaru did and rubbed my hand against the arm that I had made Sesshomaru cut. Who was he…that human? Did I love him at some point? If so why had he…stabbed me through the stomach? Who was the woman? I stared at the ground as the questions and the memories replayed in my head.

"Are you okay to go on me' lady?" Jaken asked. I nodded because I couldn't speak. I couldn't…think. I didn't know if I was okay. We continued to walk, and it seemed like Sesshomaru was slowing his pace. Rin kept asking me what the memory was, but I wouldn't answer her. "Leave Lady Yuzuki alone Rin." Jaken demanded and I could feel her troubled stare. I wish I could talk to her about it, but she was just a kid. I couldn't talk to Sesshomaru because I couldn't even imagine him putting forth anything. Jaken might have been the only one I could talk to, and I couldn't stand him.

I had to try something. "Jaken…" I started and he turned toward me, his staff in his right arm.

"What is it me' Lady." He asked curiously, especially since I never asked him anything, and I hardly ever even talked to him. He was just so…whiney. I guess I expected him to be whiney when I talked to him to. "Me, Lady?" he asked again when I didn't say anything. I was looking ahead, listening to the steps of everyone around me. I saw Sesshomaru's head move slightly to the side, listing. No doubt he would be listening to what I was saying.

"In my vision, my memory, I…saw a human. It seemed like we were maybe in love, but then the vision changed and he was standing in front of me with a sword and I was on the ground with a hole in my stomach. I guess…I just wanted to know what you thought. When I first saw Rin," I looked at her, not really wanting to say it. "I had a bad feeling…her smell bothered me and frightened me." Rin laughed at that. She couldn't believe that I was afraid of an eleven year old girl.

"Well Me' Lady, it sounds like this human hurt your pretty bad." He put his hand on the bottom of his mouth and rubbed it in thought. "So bad that you became terrified of humans." He looked at me, and I looked down at the ground thinking about what he said. Maybe he was right, but that didn't tell me if I loved him or not. It is true the human hurt me, and maybe even tried to kill me. I remember how scared I was in that memory. What if he was the one that killed me?

"Jaken…what kind of condition was I in when you all found me?" I asked with my hands wrapped around me as if I was cold.

"You had an arrow in your chest. It had pierced straight through your heart." Sesshomaru answered instead of Jaken. "It was a priestess arrow." He added and I looked at the back of his clothing and his long flowing silver hair. He didn't look at me as he spoke. I didn't know what he was talking about either.

"What…is a priestess?" I asked, even though I felt really dumb asking a question that everyone knew.

"A priestess is usually a holy woman that destroys demons or protects a shrine or a holy object." Jaken replied. "How do you not know that Lady Yuzuki?" he asked.

"Jaken…in case you haven't figured it out by now she has lost all her memories." Sesshomaru said clearly. Jaken looked at him with his mouth open and then looked at me.

"I'm sorry me' Lady! I had no idea!" he started rambling and apologized at least eighteen times.

"Poor Jaken, always the last to know everything..." Rin giggled.

"Rin," Jaken cried and sniffled. "You are so incredibly mean to me." He sniffed again and looked down.

I shook my head at his crying. He was a wise little demon, but he had no self confidence in himself. We walked a few more hours while I thought about everything and listened to Rin and Jaken talk about the same things they usually talked about. The sun started going down and I felt bad that I was slowing all of us down. I even tried walking a little faster but Sesshomaru was stuck in his mind set in taking it slow again.

We stopped for the night when Sesshomaru stopped and looked back and saw that Rin was sleeping on Ah-Un. Jaken was complaining about her slobbering on his back. We started on our usual routine as Jaken started gathering wood and I helped him. Sesshomaru picked up Rin in one hand and grabbed her blanket roll out of the pack as Ah-Un lay down next to the blaring fire and put their heads down.

He put the blanket down and put her on it. I watched in awe as he pulled the blanket over her and then looked up at me. I shifted my eyes quickly and looked away from him, my cheeks turning a little red. I heard him stand up straight and walk away from her to the other side of the fire and sit down with his legs crossed. I peeked up at him as I walked over to Ah-Un and sat down, leaning against him as Jaken lay down next to Rin.

Sesshomaru turned his head toward me and I gave him a kind smile, to embarrassed to look away again. "If you want to say something, say it. You look like an idiot." He said with his eyes closed. I opened my mouth, but then closed it again. I didn't really have anything to say, I mean I did, but I didn't want to pry. I took a breath in and pet my tail.

"Why are we going to see your mother?" I asked suddenly. Sesshomaru opened his eyes and looked at me. His face was plain and I admired his markings and strength.

"I have to ask her something." He replied simply, not giving into any real detail.

"What?" I tried to pry. I wanted to know.

He looked at me with his regular face, the face that never changed. He stared into the fire. "You are different. You look like a half demon, yet your smell…your blood is the same line as our kind." I looked at him with confusion. I had to admit that in my memories I felt a bit different.

I picked at the end of my sword and felt that sensation of a memory resurfacing. I was sitting on the ground in front of a fire. I was playing with a fan, the edges as sharp as my claws. Looking up I saw the same black haired guy beside me. He had his legs crossed; his hands in his lap, and stared at the fire in front of us. There was food cooking and it smelled disgusting. "What are we going to do?" I asked him. He turned to look at me and smiled slightly.

"We will figure it out…we always do." he said and his hand reached forward and was placed on mine. He leaned forward and I felt my heart beat harder as he placed his smooth lips against mine. There was no doubt now…I had loved this man, though he was a stranger to me now. What had happened…why had he tried to kill me? I came back to reality and shook my head. I brought my fingers to my lips, because they were tingling as if he had just done it. Though for some reason, the memory only made me angry.

I let my hand drop down to my chest where my heart was. I imagined an arrow sticking out, blood surrounding the area. A woman had killed me…a priestess. I couldn't help but wonder if it was the woman I had seen on the road in my memory. I took a breath in and dropped my hands by my side. I leaned my head back against the dragon and looked at the sky. The moon was half full now. I looked over to Sesshomaru and realized he was staring at me. My face turned a bright red so I looked away again. What must he think of me?

_Sesshomaru_

She was sitting there against Ah-Un. Her tail and her ears disgusted me and reminded me of my brother. When I imagined her as what she was supposed to be, I felt something different. Though I had to admit to myself there was something in her eyes, the gold of them, that made me yearn for her touch. I was a proud demon, so I wouldn't be able to admit out loud that I found her attractive. I had to figure out what happened to her. My mother, though it was the last thing I wanted to do, she would know what to do. She would be proud that I was finally attracted to one of our own kind. She was the leader of our tribes, so maybe she would know who she was. Her memories were coming back even faster, and I was worried it may cause problems for me. My beast has claimed her as mine. This man she thought she loved….he would not get in the way.

Hello Everyone! I would like to point out that I will rarely be writing in Sesshomaru's POV. This is because he is a complex person and I always imagined his thought process is also very complex. I will usually only write as him to define a few things. I would also like to point out that a lot of time passes between each chapter, so the feelings can come a little quicker and the story could move faster. Thanks and leave me some reviews if you like the story and would like me to continue writing it!


	7. Up the Mountain

I fluttered my eyes open and looked up through the canopy of trees above. It was early morning, and the sun was casting orange and yellow against the sky. The air was starting to warm up, and I knew that we would be flying the rest of the way up the mountain to the temple his mother was at. I sat up against Ah-Un and looked around. Rin was still sleeping and the embers from the fire were barely visible. Jaken was against the tree, drool hanging from his mouth as he was wrapped around his staff like a teddy bear. I flicked my eyes over to Sesshomaru who was sitting against the tree with his hands stuffed into his sleeves and his legs crossed.

He was looking at me and I blinked my eyes a few times to make sure I was seeing him right. "Oh…good morning." I said standing up and stretching. I wasn't sure, but it almost looked like his eyes widened a tiny little bit when my top came up, revealing my whole stomach and the tops of my pelvic bone. I stopped mid-stretch and looked at him, slowly putting my hands back down to my side. He turned away like he had never been looking. I smiled slightly and stretched my arms the other way and then rubbed my eyes and ruffled my hands through my hair.

I took out my red ribbon and let my long flowing silver hair fluff out around my body. I looked over at him again and noticed he was looking at me yet again. When he noticed that I looked at him he stood up and turned around and started walking. "We need to get moving." He stopped and turned his head slightly as he talked and then started walking again. I gave him a smile but he didn't seem to notice. I tied the ribbon around my wrist and crouched beside Rin.

"Rin…" I said softly and placed my hand on gently of her shoulder and shook slightly. "It's time to get up." I said as she turned toward me with sleepy eyes. I pulled my hands back and placed them on my knees.

"Mom…" she said blinking her eyes. I tilted my head at her and pulled my eyebrows together.

"No…it's…me. Yuzuki." I said and she sat up and looked around surprised. Her eyes seemed so bright for a second and then they turned dull as she realized she was in the middle of the forest. She turned toward me and the light returned to her eyes. Her cheeks turned up into a smile as she closed her eyes and giggled.

"Oh hey Lady Yuzuki! Sorry I had a dream." She continued to smile as she sat up and started rolling up her bed.

I stood up and watched her with sorrow. I didn't know much about Rin's past other than she had been attacked by wolves and died. Like me, she was revived by Sesshomaru's sword Tensaiga. I didn't know anything about how Rin came to meet Sesshomaru. "Wake up Jaken, Rin." I said as I used my cloth wrapped foot to put dirt on the fire. She nodded as she put her bedding in the satchel that was hooked to Ah-Un. Ah-Un was up and looking around and watched Rin walk over to Jaken with her happy face as she shook him until he woke up screaming.

"Rin! Don't scare me like that!' he whined.

"Master Jaken," Rin giggled. "You are such frady cat." She laughed and skipped back over to Ah-Un. I shook my head at them with a grin and leaned against the tree. I could hear Sesshomaru walking back and he was carrying a small cloth which had something wrapped up in it. He held it out to Rin and she took it delightlfully. "Thank you Lord Sesshomaru." She beamed at him and he nodded and turned around.

"Will you be okay to fly." He turned his eyes toward me and I nodded even though I wasn't sure. "Then let's get moving." He said and started walking.

I held up my hand and he stopped and looked at me impatiently. "Um…I was actually wanting to go to the hot springs with Rin really quick. I can hear and smell the water. It isn't too-"

He cut me off and spoke quickly. "If you must." He said walking toward the spring I was talking about. I followed him silently, almost feeling a little guilty for asking because I knew how Sesshomaru didn't like waiting around. He stopped far enough away so that he wouldn't be able see us. He stood there like a statue as we took Ah-Un and walked through the bushes and stopped about three feet away from the spring.

Rin giggled happily and threw off her clothes without taking out her small tie and jumped into the water. The steam was rising off the water and it looked very appealing. She jumped up and burst above the water taking in a large breath. "It's hot!" she yelled and swam to the edge so that she could stand. I laughed at her and untied my sash, grabbing my sword before it fell. I put it down against a rock and wrapped up my sash and put it on top of the rock. I untied my ribbon and put it on top of that and then started to unwrap the blue binding that hid my breasts.

I took off my skirt wrap that wrapped around my waist and thighs and fanned out in two sections behind me. I wrapped it up and put it on the rock and then unwrapped the white cloth that was wrapped around the middle of my feet. I sank into the water slowly, all the way down to my chin as my hair floated around me. "Lady Yuzuki?" Rin asked curiously. I looked over to her as she patted her hands in the water. She was sitting on a rock and the water covered the tops of her shoulders.

"hmm?" I said as I let the warmth of the hot spring soak into my skin.

"When will I have breasts like you?" she asked and I popped up and looked at her surprisingly. I stuttered, unable to figure out what I could say to her. She was human and still very young.

"Well…I…well…" I struggled to find the right words. "You are still very young Rin." I said, but she looked at me still wanting more. "You have at least another year or two before you should even be thinking about it." I added and she into the water and stared at her reflection and started smiling. She said 'ok' and started swimming around again, but I was still a little dazed as to why she would ask a question like that. I had to guess it was because she had never been around another female before for so long, and I could definitely see how Sesshomaru would react to it. I think it would have been pretty funny. Then again, knowing him, he might've even gotten mad at her for asking such a ridiculous thing.

"Rin…" I started and she looked over at me with that bounding smile. "Why are you traveling with Sesshomaru?"

She thought a moment, "He saved my life. I found him in the woods one day and he was hurt really bad. I tried to give him food but he wouldn't eat it. I looked after him. I guess he just sort of took me along with him when he saved my life." She smiled at me and dove down underneath the water and then back up again. She was one of the most adorable children I had ever seen. Though with my memory loss I couldn't remember any other children I had come across in the past.

I went underneath the water and strung my fingers through my hair getting out all of the dirt. I rubbed my hands against my skin and then swam around looking for Rin. She was underneath the water chasing fish and I smiled. I went back up to the surface and swam back to the edge. Getting out of the water I walked over to the rock and sat on it letting my skin dry with the rising sun while Rin continued to play. Once I was almost dry I told Rin to get out to and she did with a frown. I could tell that she didn't get to do this often.

I wrapped and tied all of my clothing back into place and picked up my sword and slid it into my sash. Rin slid on her checkered kimono and I wrapped her sash and tied it in the back before we started walking back to Sesshomaru. It was a little uncomfortable with my wet hair dripping water all over my back. It was a little shorted than Sesshomaru's, and I couldn't imagine how he dealt with his hair wet.

We emerged from the bushes and he pushed himself off the tree and started walking. "Let's go." He said as Rin climbed up on the back of Ah-Un and Jaken controlled the reins. Sesshomaru jumped and lifted into the air and he jumped from tree to tree basically like he was flying which he practically was. I bounded up as Ah-Un started to fly after him. I jumped from branch to branch and with each step I tried doing it a little farther. I was amazed at how the flying sort of came naturally.

I smiled as I started to pass Ah-Un and then jumped onto a branch next to Sesshomaru. He looked over at me and continued on like he hadn't noticed. I sped past him, knowing the general direction we were heading was up, and flew. As I landed on a branch Sesshomaru passed me with ease. I saw as he looked back, his eyes looking a little different than usual. He seemed to be challenging me. I grinned and showed my sharp incisors as I pushed forward and he and I were neck in neck. I bounded off a tree and bolted forward in front of him.

I laughed because I was beating him as I continued to zoom through the forest. I heard a deep clearing of the throat above me and looked up to see Sesshomaru flying past me without even touching or bouncing off branches. He seemed to give me a small smile but I couldn't tell because he was in front of me now. I bounded off another branch and flew. I jumped higher and was behind him now and was willing my demonic powers to make me go faster.

Sure enough my speed started to hasten. I was neck and neck with him again and I looked over at him, but he wasn't looking at me. He was concentrating and even started to get ahead of me again. I looked forward and listened as the trees whizzed past us. I could faintly hear Ah-Un flying high above us, trying to keep up. I dodged a tree and flew faster. I was right on his tail and was catching up, but just as I had started to come neck and neck with him again he looked at me and bolted forward. I bared my teeth and willed myself to go faster.

I was trying desperately to catch up with him, and I tried harder still. I was starting to catch up to him again when we came to a large stone archway. He slowed down and came to a perfect stop as Ah-Un started to lower to the ground above us. I was still going full speed, and realized suddenly that I had no idea how to stop. I flew past the archway and was heading straight for the wall that surrounded the large castle.

I stopped my demonic power completely and instead of smashing into the wall I completely stopped and dropped to the ground. I smashed into the rock floor and stood up and rubbed my neck. Sesshomaru was walking up the steps as was Ah-Un with the other two on top of them. Rin was laughing hysterically and was singing a song about how clumsy I was. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought that I saw Sesshomaru smile at my ungainliness.

I rubbed my head and bounded up onto the steps behind them and followed behind them feeling a little embarrassed. It wasn't my fault that I couldn't remember how to use all of my powers, yet using a sword and my claws came natural to me, though I did have a little trouble with the sword. I had just gotten completely lucky with the lizard demon I had killed to absorb energy. We were walking up the steps and toward the top I saw a line of guards on either side of the large steps. I was surprised to see that they were human.

I looked up farther and saw a large throne with a woman sitting in it. She was wearing a large blue cover with fur edges, and a purple and white kimono. Her eyes were a light orange and her figure was small, though her stare was hard. I could see where Sesshomaru had gotten his stance. She had the same crescent moon on her forehead, though the markings on her cheeks were slightly different. They looked more like lighting bolds that slits. Her hair was silver and it seemed to be pinned up slightly with shells. She was absolutely gorgeous.

I had remembered what Sesshomaru said about me looking like a half yokai. Was she what I was supposed to look like, or at least similar? She looked so much like him. As we passed the guards she tilted her head slightly up and smiled as her son approached. "My son," she grinned. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" she looked over at me and her smile and stare seemed to deepen as if she could smell a challenge.


	8. Sesshomaru's Mother and Her Tale

Author here! Long chapter for you all! Hope you enjoy! review if you would like more! I would greatly appreciate it!

We were standing in front of a great demoness—Sesshomaru's mother, and she was staring at me with great interest. I hung my head low as we walked closer toward her. "I see you have brought back the little girl. Honestly son, why have you not eaten her?" she said curiously, but Sesshomaru was silent. I looked up through my hair and saw her staring at Rin who took a few steps back and hid behind me. Once again the demoness's bright orange eyes turned to me.

"I see you have brought me something else." One of her eyebrows raised. "Little demon," she said gesturing to Jaken.

"It's…uh, Jaken as I have said many times m'Lady." He blurted out, but she ignored his statement.

"Has my son been happy with the wish I had granted him the last visit?" she asked, and it was clear that she knew of his stubborn pride to speak of such things.

"Yes m'Lady." He replied and stepped back to hide behind me to. She nodded and shifted in her giant throne, putting one leg over the other and looking to Sesshomaru.

"I assume you have come bearing questions? My guess is that they are concerning this one here." Her long slim finger pointed towards me, and I was realizing that Sesshomaru didn't get his silence from her. I guess I was expecting some telepathic conversation between them. "Yes, well…you were right to come to me. I know what has happened to her, and I know who she is." She said and my eyes shot open in bewilderment. She knew who I was. She had met me before?

She stood up and I saw that she was slightly shorter than Sesshomaru, but slightly taller than myself. She pointed at me and gestured for me to come closer. I looked up as she spoke, "Come here demon." She said sternly and I complied with her demand. I was standing in front of her as she walked a single circle around me and then stood back in front of her throne. I turned to give Sesshomaru a look and his eyes flicked and met with mine for a second before returning to his mother's wandering gaze over my body. I didn't know why, but his single movement gave me reassurance.

"What I your name?" she asked, and I could hear Jaken mumble something slick about her wanting to know my name and not his.

"It is Yuzuki…my lady." I added in the last few words silently, not knowing if I was in the proper place to say so. I didn't know her, and didn't know if she even deserved the title, but Jaken deemed her as fit.

"So…you are her daughter after all." She said with an amused face and I looked at her with longing. She had information about my mother. She even seemed to know her. "Before I met Taisho," she looked up as if remembering a memory, "I met a demon that was part of our tribe, and whose mother was a friend to my own. To skip all the details she had a daughter named Yuzuki. She asked me to take you in before she was brutally murdered." Her eyes brightened when she said the words 'brutally murdered' and she couldn't tear her eyes away from mine, and neither could I. I was entranced by her words.

She took a breath in and looked at me. "It was not in my nature, at the time, to raise a child. Your father didn't want you, your mother didn't really want you either, and I surly didn't-"

"Mother," Sesshomaru said sternly, and even though I willed them not to, I could feel tears prickling at my eyes. A memory was about to resurface, but I didn't want to miss what she was going to say, but then I didn't have a choice. I fell to my knees as the memories flooded my mind. I was small, and I didn't have a tail like in most of my memories. I was walking and looking at flowers and a beautiful woman that looked a lot like Sesshomaru's mother walked in front of me. She instead had long black hair instead of silver, and an upside down crescent moon on her forehead that pointed down.

She turned toward me with tears in her eyes, and her soft, nurturing voice told me that she had to go away. I shook my head in the memory and cried for her, but she turned away from me. There standing in front of a tree stood the same woman that was speaking to me in the present. "I took you for a moment, but then you ran away thankfully. I didn't care much for one that was not my own. In fact I didn't even want children, but when I found out I was pregnant it all changed." She sighed with a found smile of happiness. I looked up at her with tears in my eyes. How could she be so cold?

"You are definitely her, but there is the case that my son truly wants to open up and examine. It is the case of your newfound ears and tail that you did not leave with." She looked me over as I was kneeled on the floor. "Son, did you revive her with your Tensaiga?" she asked interestingly. He gave her a look that just said yes even though he didn't say anything. "Well, I assume she was already like this when you found her, so how did she die?' she asked again.

"The arrow of a priestess." He said simply in his regular tone, and despite my will I stood up and straightened myself up while she wasn't looking at me.

She turned her head just as I had cleaned my face of tears. "A priestess? My this is interesting. Yuzuki, what had you gotten yourself into? Son, I don't know what this woman means to you, but I presume you want her back to her regular state because you care for her." When she said this I stole a glance at Sesshomaru and his face had gone hard at the accusation. His jaw clenched and his hands fisted, and his mother noticed. "Oh son, it is nothing to be ashamed of. Besides, I think it is about time you found yourself a mate." She smiled at him and took her seat in the throne like she was queen bitch.

"Mother." He said with gritted teeth and she ignored his angry warning.

"The only way to return to your full power is to kill the priestess that locked them away." She looked at me again, and she was fully intrigued. "It shouldn't be too hard, though with your memories gone, finding her will not be as easy. There is not much I can do about that, but I do know someone that can." She smiled at me devilishly, and though I was starting to not trust her, what choice did I have? She knew who I used to be, she knew my mother, and perhaps even my father. She was a cruel and heartless bitch, but she had helped in raising me even if it wasn't for long. She had to have cared on some level, and who knew what she would have done if I hadn't run away.

"Why would you help me now, if you wouldn't come and find me when I ran away?" I asked questionably yet curiously. I wanted to know. I wanted to more than what she was just relaying.

"Well, am I am not completely heartless to my son." She gestured to him with a hand. "I will help him, only because I just can't wait to see how this plans out." She said grinning from ear to ear like a fox. I glanced at Sesshomaru and though his mother was helping in her own way, I could tell he was getting angry. "There is a man that lives in a cave far from here by the grand falls, well really behind them. He will give you your memories back, but for a price."

"What is the price?" Sesshomaru demanded, and his voice was cold. He was getting tired of her games as I was.

"Son, why in such a hurry. Is this girl really that important to you? Hmm, maybe you are like your father."

"_Mother_," he almost seemed to growl.

"He will require a stone. A stone not found easily. He will also want the blood of one demon and the head of another. Son this will not be easy. I'm almost too frightened for your life to tell you in risk of losing my only son." She looked at him worriedly if only for a second. "But…the stone can be found in a demonic river known as Shasinkah, just look for the energy." She said in a more happy amused tone. "The blood needs to come from a spider yokai, one that feeds on powerful demons like us. Luckily he is the last of his kind and can be found in the forest surrounding the waterfalls. The blood is quite simple; it will need to come from a serpent hanyou that lives in around a lake in Kagrey forest. There is only one lake and one half demon." She finished explaining.

"Thank you for your help m'Lady." Jaken said as Sesshomaru turned away from his mother and started heading down the stair case. "My son," his mother stated clearly as she stood up, and we all halted in our tracks but didn't turn around. "Remember that some pasts carry heavy burdens. There may be things you have to accept in order to get what you want." She said with care, though I didn't understand what she meant. If what she said was true, then my past might be too hard for Sesshomaru to accept?

Sesshomaru still didn't say anything and then kept walking. I followed him and heard his mother call her stubborn very quietly. Rin would have been the only one that wouldn't have heard it. I was very proud of her. She hadn't said anything at all, but I was sure Sesshomaru taught her well in that line of respect. It seemed like it took less time to get down the staircase than it did going up, and we were back on a path in no time. I couldn't help but wonder where we were going first.

"Lady Yuzuki, are you happy about knowing you can get your memories back?" Rin asked curiously as she picked the petals off a flower she had picked up. I looked down at her and thought a moment before I answered. I hadn't given much thought to it. I had gotten to a point where my memories weren't as important.

"Well, I need to know where the priestess is. I guess I have no choice but to be happy." I told her truthfully. It always seemed like she asked the right questions. It was like she asked the things everyone was thinking, and because she was too young to understand it was easy for her to ask them. "I can say that I do want to be a full demon again. I want to be able to protect you Rin." I looked down at her with a smile and she returned it with an even bigger one. I looked back up and saw that Sesshomaru had his head turned slightly, and I knew that he was listing to our conversation.

If there was anyone I really wanted to talk to it was him. I wanted to know why it bothered him when his mother mentioned his supposed care for me. I wanted to know why he wanted to help me to have my full power again. He would never admit any of those things though. I was too afraid to ask him as well. I couldn't remember the strength of the demons I had met, but in my heart I felt like he was stronger than them all, and if there was anyone that was going to help me I would rather it be him.

We walked till sundown. The colors in the sky were gorgeous, and the there was a slight wind in the air. It brought forth many smells I recognized but many I didn't. I knew by now that Sesshomaru would stop soon for us to make camp, and as if on cue he stopped. "We will rest here." He said as he let Ah-Un lay down and retrieved Rin's beddings as Rin, Jaken, and I collected firewood for the night. I hadn't noticed until Jaken got the fire started that Sesshomaru had left the area.

"Jaken," I said and he turned to look at me as he sat down. "Stay with Rin. Protect her." I said sternly much like Sesshomaru would have except without the death threat though I would if something would to happen to her. I sniffed the air and could smell the general direction he had went it. I didn't know why I wanted to find him, but maybe it was because deep down I wanted to gather the courage to ask him everything that floated around inside my head.

I placed my hand on a tree and could smell that his fur had rubbed against it. I followed it and could smell blood in the air as well. I followed the scent until I found him with two dead animals in his claws. They looked like squirrels. He turned to look at me and his golden eyes were bright under the growing moonlight. His skin looked agonizingly appealing, and I wanted nothing more to touch him though I knew it would be out of line. "What is it?" he asked in a softer tone than usual.

"I wanted to ask you something." I said boldly, trying to keep myself steady. He said nothing and waiting for me to continue. "Is what your mother said…true? I asked curiously. "I mean why do you want to help me? I am just someone you found in the woods." I asked trying not to ramble but my nervousness was catching up to me.

His face seemed to go through emotions, but then turned very hard. Maybe I was just seeing things. "I will help you if only to entertain myself. My mother is full of dreams that I will end up like father. Nothing more." He said sternly and my heart sank. I bit my top lip then my bottom and nodded. I was trying not to cry, and before I did I turned away from him and ran back to the camp though I could hear him following behind.

Sesshomaru

"Disgusting." I said quietly to myself as I thrust my sharp nails through the heart of the small rodent when suddenly a smell came through the air. It was her…I knew because I had grown so accustomed to her sweet scent tinged with the smell I hated. I looked up at her and stood there motionless waiting to hear her soft pleasant voice. When she didn't speak, I spoke instead. "What is it?" I asked.

"I wanted to ask you something." She was trying to be bold, but I could smell her fear. Why was she afraid of me? Had I not been anything but kind to her? "Is what your mother said…true? She asked me, and I had to admit to myself it was a bold question. "I mean why do you want to help me? I am just someone you found in the woods." She asked nervously, afraid of what I would say, and I didn't know what I would say. She couldn't know…my pride, my animal, my beast, would not allow her to know until the proper time. Until I was sure of myself and my ability to be able to protect her she could not know.

I wanted to take her then and there. My beast craved for her flesh for her mark and mine to be on her. I wanted to be able to feel the heat of her breath and the tingle from the touch of her skin. I wanted to hear the sound of her heart beating with mine. I couldn't lie to my beast because I did want her as a mate. She was different from the rest of my kind. She didn't have someone breathing down her neck forcing her to be strong and yet she turned out just as strong even if she hadn't realized it.

I was going to help her because I knew her to be powerful and realize just how powerful she was. I wanted her to be mine. Though once again my mother was right, and I hated that. She always told me that I would end up like my father, willing to do anything for the person that I truly loved. For now, I would have to act distant, because if I didn't I would lose myself. "I will help you if only to entertain myself. My mother is full of dreams that I will end up like father. Nothing more." I said angrily, directing my anger more at my mother for her arrogance.

I was about to step forward when I noticed a certain smell in the air, a smell I had already smelt once that day. I looked at Yuzuki and I could smell as tears starter to water her eyeballs. She turned away from me and ran and I suddenly busted forward in a quick dash but slowed down controlling my beast. I could not let myself feel for her yet. Just…not yet.


	9. Training

We were on our way to the demonic lake Sesshomaru's mother had told us about. The day was beautiful in every way possible unlike the day before when it rained nonstop. The birds were out singing and the crickets were chirping loudly as we walked, though they weren't the only things being loud. Jaken and Rin had been going back and forth about me since I had gotten to the camp with a red face and tears on my cheeks. I didn't feel like talking about it with Sesshomaru around and Rin wouldn't leave me alone about it.

Sesshomaru was finally the one to get her to be quiet not long before. If he hadn't of said something I would have lost it. It wasn't like I could be mean to her because every day she was becoming more and more like my own child, and she was a human so it made it a little harder. We wouldn't get to the lake until the next day, so for now we would just walk, and walk, and walk like we had been doing. Of course, I was bored out of my mind. I had not had any more memories and it was soothing to not have to worry about them. I guessed it was because I knew deep down that I would be figuring them all out in a matter of a few weeks or however long it would take to get everything.

We stopped a few times to let Rin eat, but the more I saw her eat the more I felt weak and hungry. Rin was eating berries with Jaken behind her on top of Ah-Un as we walked. I had suddenly tripped on a branch, almost falling face first into the ground but stopping myself by placing my hand on a tree. I looked up in time to see Sesshomaru staring at me, a worried look in his eyes. He made a puzzling sound in his throat and then turned and continued walking. It was the most he had spoken or looked at since that night, and I couldn't help but wonder if he had seen me cry.

I had started feeling dizzy as we walked and was grateful for once when Sesshomaru said we should stop. "Why Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked curiously because she wasn't hungry or tired. "is there a demon around?" she asked again.

"Yuzuki is hungry." He said and I looked up at him in shock. How had he known? Why would he stop for me anyway? "Jaken stay with Rin. Your life will be short lived if anything happens." He gave Jaken a deathly stare before walking off through the foliage and I ran after him, feeling my heart beat faster from hunger.

"I can hunt myself." I said hardly able to breath and he turned toward me with a harsh glare. "…or…or not." I added hastily. Why was I so afraid of him? He continued to move and then spoke.

"We aren't just feeding." He said in his normal hard tone. "I'm teaching you to fight." His tone seemed to become harsher.

"Why?" I asked curiously, struggling to keep up with him.

"You need to be able to protect Rin." He said, though I was hoping it would be more along the line of 'because I care about your safety.' I looked down and took a deep breath trying to calm down.

He stooped, turned, and met my gaze sternly. "You are quick. That won't be enough every time." He added, and I was surprised to hear the small compliment. My mind flew back to the time when we had raced up the mountain. I looked at him expecting the smile that was on my face but it was only a line as always. I had never seen Sesshomaru really smile, even though there had been a couple times where it looked like it, but it was probably just my imagination.

I nodded my head and we continued to walk far from Ah-Un and the others. I heard a sudden rumbling sound and looked ahead of us to see a bear demon eating…eating something. Sesshomaru stepped aside and waited for me to pass. "Aren't you going to-" the bear demon interrupted me suddenly when he stood up, his mouth bloody.

"Who is there!?" he growled loudly. I brought my hand to my lips in an apologetic form and Sesshomaru shook his head.

"If I was full I might accidently kill you." He said knowing that our cover was blown already. I jumped forward before he finished the last word and pulled out my sword. The bear sniffed the air and smiled devilishly when he looked at me. My ears twitched on top of my head and my tail stuck outward as I readied myself with my hands on my sword.

"Mhmmm…" the demon hummed smelling my delicious scent. "What a wonderful demonic aura." The demons voice was deep and savage. He looked down at me. "You smell like a full demon, yet you look like a pitiful hanyou." He said intrigued. "You will be my LUNCH!" he growled as he swiped down at me and I didn't have time to react. I used my speed to duck and move out of the way before his massive paw could slice me. I slung my sword at his leg but the demon moved, expecting the attack. I swung again and then missed again. "You are weak demon!" he growled and lunged at me with his mouth. I used my claws to swipe at him with my claws and got a direct hit on his nose.

His large paw covered it as he yelled in anger and I could feel some of his demonic aura in the air. He growled and swung his paw at me again, and this time I defended instead of attacked. I held the sword up and sliced at his paw downward which cut him badly though I expected it to go all the way through. All the while I knew Sesshomaru was watching me, and it was making me nervous. I was begging to realize he was right about my use with a sword. I jumped over the demon and he grabbed me in his paws. "Now I will eat you!" he growled and I shoved my sword down into his head.

The demon just looked at me with a frozen face as he started to fall to the ground and I struggled to get out of his dead clutched. I got lose just before we smashed into the ground, and used my flight skill to land safely. Suddenly a large aura flew from the demon and absorbed into me, and I felt the immediate sense of fullness and the return of the power I had. I flexed my claws and cleaned the small amount of blood onto the back of my wrap.

Sesshomaru walked forward and forced the sword from the head of the demon and wiped the blood on its fur and then walked over to me. He held out the sword and I took it back with a bow as a thank you. I didn't expect him to be proud because I knew he could have killed the demon in mere seconds. "Come." He said as we walked to an area that had a little less wood around it. I walked by what he had been eating, and it was an older human man. I looked at it curiously, wondering if…I was able to feed off of human energies as well. Not that I would want to.

Once we got into the clearing he pulled out the exact sword that had saved me. "This sword will not cut you therefor I will use it. Draw you weapon." He demanded angrily, and I knew he meant business. I did as he asked and stood there with my feet wide apart as I held the swords hilt in the middle with both hands. He struck at me and I defended as I always had, but because I struck down the sword was able to break through and poked me in the stomach. I would have been dead in mere seconds if I had battled with him.

He gave me the 'I told you so' look with his eyes, or at least that's what I imagined him saying in his head. I had really made up an entire real personality for him. "Strike up." He said and struck at me again. This time when I defended I did as he asked and his sword was moved away. He taught me techniques I had missed when battling the demon both defending and attacking, many of which I had actually done wrong. He was backed up far away now, and he was teaching me a last technique where I was defending. I hadn't know how long we had been out there, but I knew that Ah-Un and the others wouldn't go anywhere without Sesshomaru.

I held my stance as Sesshomaru started to run at me, his teeth bared as if he was being serious. He hadn't looked like that before and I panicked. He was getting closer and instead of using the sword I dropped it and lunged at him, but he was swift and moved out of the way, sending me face first into the grass. I pushed my hands against the ground and lifted my face off of the grass. I jumped up and turned toward Sesshomaru frustrated. He looked at me with a solid face though I noticed that his sword was sheathed.

I rushed at him again and before I knew it I was on the ground again. I forced myself off the ground and lunged at him again, but again he was gone. "Can't you let me win just once!" I growled frustrated.

"No." he said plainly. I growled with my teeth bared and bounded at him, but again he was gone. I turned around and stood up, ready to pounce again, but instead I found myself pinned against a tree nearby. He had moved so quickly and I was jealous of his power. His hands were pinned against my shoulders and his body was close to mine. It didn't take me long to notice either. His face was inches from mine, and I could feel the breath from his nose brush against my lips.

My heart started to pound uncontrollably as I looked at him and it was beating so hard that I couldn't hear his heart. He searched my eyes and I couldn't pull mine away from his intense gaze. I stared at his marking and I wondered what he thought when he looked at me. I knew because of his mother that he didn't like half demons, and I looked like one. I saw his jaw clench up as I looked at him with careful eyes. He leaned forward suddenly and my heart started to pound even harder. Was…was he going to kiss me? I swallowed hard as he was now about an inch from my lips.

I searched his face looking for some kind of sign as they moved from my eyes down to my mouth. I was pinned, and I wanted him to kiss me, but I couldn't lean forward. Suddenly Sesshomaru pulled away and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding. I noticed that his hands were clenched and his whole demeanor seemed to change to complete anger. He picked up my sword and walked back over to me holding it out. He wasn't looking at me. "We need to keep moving." He said angrily and I reached forward and took it still trying to gather my thoughts and controls on my own body.

I slid my sword back into my sheath and followed him silently. I was confused. Was he truly going to kiss me or was he just trying to prove a point that he was stronger than me? Why hadn't he if he was going to kiss me? I shook my head. It didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was that he didn't.


	10. The Stone Jewel and the Demonic River

I could smell the demonic aura from the river as we walked. I could see why his mother called it a demonic one, because the smell was so foul. "Jaken, stay here with Rin." Sesshomaru said suddenly without stopping. Jaken did as ordered and I followed him through the trees. This was the first time we had been alone since the day before when he trained me to better use my sword. I had tried since then to not think of him pinning me against the tree. However, since I constantly saw him it was a little harder to forget.

The closer we got to it, the more I felt the aura grow stronger. It was an overpowering smell. I could hear the sound of rushing water before long, and as we stepped through the clearing I looked at the purple liquid flowing through the land. My mouth opened at the sight, I had never seen anything like it before. "What is it?" I asked getting closer to it. Sesshomaru put out his arm, warning me to mind my distance.

"Myasthma..." he looked as far up the river as he could then as far down. "The river is tainted." He said as he started walking down the way the river was running. I looked in the direction as saw a faint glowing light, remembering what the demoness said about the glowing. We followed it down until we came to a smaller lake. It was one of the smallest lakes I had ever seen, so small that I didn't know if it would be defined as a lake.

I saw the glowing in the middle of the lake and tilted my head. How were we supposed to get it? We both stopped at the edge and I saw Sesshomaru's eyes looking over the area. It was clear he was thinking the same thing. Sesshomaru bounded off the shore and I watched in astonishment as he dropped into the liquid right above the shine. I could see the bubbling and hear the sizzle of his burning skin as he entered it. "Sesshomaru!" I yelled worriedly. I knew that he was strong and proud, but even whatever this was had to be too much for him. "Sesshomaru!" I yelled again after a moment. The liquid around where he was started to shake and swirl, making the entire lake churn.

I looked up and raised my head, trying to figure out where he was. My eyes darted back and forth searching for him. "Sesshomaru…" I said as he was clutching the jewel, a barrier surrounding him as he floated up. His armor was burnt, and the edges of his kimono and furs where gone, tattered, and torn. His hands were burnt terribly, and he breathing was very shallow. The barrier was starting to flicker, and it was obvious the jewel was powered by the river's liquid. It took him above the land and then disappeared completely, and for the first time I had ever seen, Sesshomaru didn't land on his feet.

I ran toward him and dropped to my knees. His hands were on the ground, keeping him from falling flat as one knee and one foot was against the ground. He was staring at the stone beneath his face and I put my hands on his on his shoulders. "Are you alright Sesshomaru?" I asked nervously. "Why did you do that?" I asked with a shaky voice from worry. He looked up at me with red eyes and I stepped back shocked.

I took a breath in as his head went back down and his breathing was getting worse and his arms were starting to shake. "Sesshomaru answer me!" I shook him lightly and he looked up and growled at me angrily. I started to panic not knowing what I was going to do if he died. "Here…" I said as I grabbed his arm ready for him to take the demonic aura from me again. He snatched his arm back and I watched as his teeth grew larder. "You need it!" I yelled.

"I will kill you!" he snarled up at me.

"I don't care!" I yelled back and forced his hand through my stomach. I felt as searing pain shot through my nerves and blood spurted out over his arm and on my bare stomach. I watched as the aura from my wound seeped out and absorbed into him, and his face slowly started changing back to normal. I felt as the pain pulsated through me. His hand was thrusted back out of my stomach and he looked at me with gritted teeth and a hung head.

I looked down at the hole in my stomach and held my hand over it. In a second he had picked up the jewel and hand me in his arms. I was starting to feel dizzy as he rushed through the forest. I felt some sort of power rush through me as he ran and felt my blood rush in my heart. My vision started to turn red and I pricked my lips as my teeth sharped. We came to a stop and I looked up at the face of the man I had grown to care so much for. I was grateful to him in so many ways. "You need to kill Yuzuki." He said as he sat me on my feet and held me up with his strong hands. I looked forward as a reptile demon slithered in front of us.

I held one hand over my stomach and the other with twitching with the need to kill. Sesshomaru stepped away as power surged through me. I knew that what was happened to Sesshomaru was happening to me. Yet, somehow I felt different. I flexed my hand as the demon shot forward with a thirst for the smell of blood and I used my claws to slice through its belly as it flew toward me. I heard it fall to the ground behind me as I dropped to my knees, using the last bit of energy I had to kill it. I dropped both my arms and fell forward, but a pair of arms caught me before I did. I buried my face into his soft furs and faded to black.

I didn't know how long it took me to wake up, but when I did, I heard the immense, never ending sound of Jaken rambling about me being almost dead and heard the soft sobs of Rin. I felt as there was movement beneath me and the rumbling of his chest as Sesshomaru spoke. "Stop that, Rin." He said as I heard Jaken cry out in pain. I didn't know why but it sounded like something hit him. I grabbed at the fur and tried my best to push myself even more into the fur. My eyes fluttered open and I looked up at the face staring down at me.

My face suddenly turned red because I was so close to him. I could feel his heart beating in his chest. His mouth opened slightly and his eyes grew wide as he watched my eyes open. I moved around to test my limbs and I felt that half my body was on soft grass and the other half was on Sesshomaru. His clawed hand traveled up my collarbone up to the back of my neck. He looked down at me, and in his eyes I almost saw relief.

"You're alright now." He said down to me, and I couldn't tell if it was a question or a statement. I nodded, though I felt really tired. Rin ran over to us and I tried to lift my head, but went right back down when a splitting head ache cracked through my body.

"Lady Yuzuki! You're awake!" she said. I smiled at her, but Sesshomaru was quick to keep me from getting worse.

"Rin, leave her be for now." He said strictly and she smiled at her.

"Okay!" she said happily and skipped back over to wherever she had been sitting. I looked back over to Sesshomaru and realized he was leaning against the tree and I was in his lap. I unconsciously moved my hand to my bare stomach and felt the horrible scar there. I looked up in time to see him looking at my arm and then look at my stomach sadly. I had realized that the two out of three scars that I had come from him, even though I forced him to do it.

"Why did you do that?" Sesshomaru asked seriously as he looked down at me, his face placid and blank.

"Do what?" my voice cracked as I met his eyes. "Safe your life?" I added and when he didn't speak I continued. "…Because you're worth saving." I swallowed hard and watched his reaction carefully. His eyes went through a series of emotions I couldn't place, though his mouth never changed from the straight line that was always there.

I felt myself grow tired as I turned into his furs again. They were so unimaginably soft and comfortable. I liked that he had one of his knees elevated, though he always did that, it made me feel more comfortable in his lap. I was asleep before I knew it, and when I awoke again I was upset to find that I was on the bedding Rin used. I sat up and looked around, and Rin was the first to greet me. "Lady Yuzuki!" she ran up to me and gave me a tight hug. I had been feeling much better. I hugged her back and grinned at her happily.

"I'm alright Rin." I told her reassuringly.

"M'Lady, I'm so glad you are awake! You are the only one that cares about me!" he cried happily and hugged me as well. I patted him on the back and looked around. I saw Sesshomaru standing by Ah and Un and smiled up at him. "Lord Sesshomaru is very glad that you are awake too! He was afraid of losing you!" Jaken said and I watched as he turned, afraid of the look Sesshomaru might be giving him, but instead of glaring or hitting him like he usually did he only stared at me.

"Thank you…" I looked at him with warming eyes and he nodded the smallest amount. He dug in his clothes and pulled out the stone and held it up, his large sleeves falling down to his elbow which revealed the two long, purple slash marking on his arms. The stone was about the size of Rin's fist and purple in color. He tossed it over to me and I caught it.

"Keep it safe." He said looking at me and then turned and started walking. "We need to get moving." He added and I stood up and gathered up the bedding as Jaken took it and hooked it to Ah-Un before we chased after Sesshomaru. He had told me that we would get the blood next, and it would take a few days to get there from here. I didn't know how much of a delay I had caused, but I knew and felt bad because I had caused it. How come Sesshomaru hadn't been effected like I had? I guessed that it was probably because of my weakened powers which were starting to get really annoying.

We started walking and I watched Sesshomaru look back slightly every so often to look at me. I didn't know if it was just me or if he was checking on me. Before long Rin's stomach started to rumble and the sun had gone down so Sesshomaru decided that we should stop. Rin and Jaken went off to search for food as Ah-Un layed down and I started to get the fire started. Sesshomaru leaned against the tree and watched me carefully. I gathered the wood and put them together just as Jaken came back and lighted it up with his staff.

He dropped off some berries and ran off quickly with his staff and followed the small torch light Rin was carrying. "Sesshomaru?" I asked quietly as I stared at the fire.

"What is it?" his voice followed the wind softly.

"Why…didn't you just let me die?" I asked curiously with a tinge of sadness and fright of what he would say.

I looked over and saw that his eyes had widened a little, but he straightened himself up before answering. "Getting that jewel would have made this an entire waste of time." He said darkly and I nodded. He had a point. He walked over and stood beside me and I turned to look at him. His face moved toward me as he stared into my yellow eyes. I looked up and watched the fire's light dance in his eyes, matching the hue of them.

"Thank you again," I said, not knowing what else to say or what he wanted, "for saving my life."

He watched me, and I thought he was angry because his face turned down into a frown. I turned my body to face him and touched his now full sleeve and carefully pulled my eyes up his body, past his mouth and to his eyes as I looked at him through my eyelashes. His face pulled back slightly as his eyes got bigger. Was I making him uncomfortable? I clutched harder at his sleeve and he looked down at my hand, but didn't ask me to move it. I looked down at held my hand to my heart, thinking about him pinning me to the tree. I felt as his hand wrapped around mine, covering it as it clutched to his sleeve. I looked up and met his soft gaze which was warming more than cold.

"Don't ever…" he started, his voice hard, "worry me like that again." He stared at me, his mouth a thin line. I nodded as he faced me quickly and his fingers wrapped into my downed hair and to the back of my neck. He pulled me up toward his face as his eyes closed and he bent down and pressed his mouth gently against mine. I kissed him back, my hand still clutching to his sleeve. He pulled back and removed his hand, and I let go, my hand shaking from the intimate gesture. Sesshomaru had kissed me…he had really kissed me.

I watched as he turned around and went back to sit down on the ground and lean against the tree I and turned in astonishment as Rin and Jaken walked through the trees with a few pieces of fruit and vegetables. I swallowed and turned to look at Sesshomaru's eyes as they watched the two. I looked toward Rin and Jaken who sat down and tilted my head at Jaken's frightened face. "What…what's the matter m'Lord! What happened? Why are you doing that? Oh no don't kill me!" he whined and I beamed when I turned to Sesshomaru who was turned slightly toward me, a small smile, clear as day, on his face.


	11. The Miko

I was walking sluggish behind Sesshomaru and the others the next morning. I was tired and weak from the restless night from before. I couldn't stop thinking about Sesshomaru's soft lips against mine. His rough hand and how it covered my hand gently. The whole entire day was…interesting. I had been on his lap, nestling in his fur wrap and listening to his heartbeat. He had taken care of me and saved my life, much like I had his. Then, at the end of the day, he had kissed me tenderly. Though he hadn't really acknowledged me since then, and It was as if it hadn't even happened.

It was such a surprise, and he had hinted at the fact that he had been worried about me. What had the kiss meant? I didn't want to think too much about it, but I couldn't help it. I watched the back of his Kimono and his long, silver hair as we walked and headed toward the forest of Kagrey. Up next on our list was the blood of a spider half-demon. Sesshomaru was eager to get there and get it over with, but I was slowing all of us down.

I yawned even though I wasn't tired and listened to Rin and Jaken argue about when the leaves would start changing colors. The leaves had been green for a while, yet they did seem to start getting a little weaker. Rin was saying that it would be in the next couple weeks, while Jaken said it would be in two months. Jaken was much older than Rin, and I would have to side with him over her for once. However, I didn't say anything because I was starting to enjoy listening to them bicker.

I swished my tail and flattened my ears to the side lazily as I walked. I peeked up at Sesshomaru and stared at his pointed ears and markings. Unlike him, I didn't have them, though his mother said that I should. I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like being a full demon. I couldn't remember, and I hadn't had a memory since I had seen her. I guessed it was just because I didn't want to remember them since I knew that soon I would get them back.

I placed my hand over my bare stomach and felt the rough scarring that had regenerated from a straight hole the size of Sesshomaru's hand. I had never felt pain like that before, but I had to save his life. There wasn't an option. My tail swayed lightly in the sudden wind that brought a variety of smells. It passed by my nose and I had started to pick through them. Flora, fur from animals, water, Sesshomaru and Jaken and Ah-Un's demonic blood, Rin, and…

I sniffed the air again as another gust flew past my nose and stopped. There was something close by, something similar to Rin, but different in a way. I looked to the right in the direction of the wind and the smell. The others continued on through the woods, as I looked through the trees and sniffed in the direction. I could smell cherries, and something that smelt a little like purity…if that had a smell. "Yuzuki," I heard a stern voice call from in front of me."

I turned and saw all four of their heads fixated on me. "What is that smell?" I asked curiously, and watched as Jaken and Rin started sniffing the warm air. Jaken looked down with a eyebrows closer together and Rin stated that she couldn't smell anything.

"Well, of course you can't smell anything. You are nothing but a small human girl." He nodded his head matter-a-fact. "If I am not mistaken, Yuzuki, It smells like a miko." He nodded his head again. When he saw my confused look he continued. "A miko m'lady is a priestess. We talked about those on top of the mountain. She is a woman that can-"

"Hold a large amount of spiritual energy and can purify demons and blah, blah. Thank you Jaken." I turned my head and looked back through the trees again. I had never met one, and had never remembered meeting one even though I knew it was a miko that had taken away half my power. I ran in the direction of the smell and heard Jaken's frantic voice echo behind me. A gust of wind flew past my feet and I halted to a stop when a silver blue rushed past me and then stood in front of me.

I looked at him with pleading eyes, but his blank expression stayed unchanged. "She might be able to help me…" I took a step forward, looking past him and smelling the scent which was a little stronger.

"She will kill you. You're nothing but a demon to her." He spit almost angrily and I gave him a pained expression. He walked past me and back to others. I heard his footsteps come to a stop and a small breath suck into his lips. "I cannot stop you however." He continued walking again and I stared into the forest in front of me. I bolted forward, because even though I knew the risk, what did it matter. What if she could help me? She could take the curse off of me and then it wouldn't matter if I didn't have my memories.

I followed the smell until I could hear someone walking. I became motionless and then scanned the woods for any sign of life. I saw the flash of black hair that was high up in a black ribbon. I walked forward and noticed that she was wearing dark blue robes and a black hakama and a white kasode. She turned slightly when I let my foot snap a branch and I looked up with wide eyes. She had beautiful big brown eyes and had a basket in the crook of her right arm and a bow in the hand of her other.

"Who is there?" she asked with a harsh tone, though her voice was soft like dew. It was light in her age, and her face was thin and angular. She bent down and turned toward me, but it was obvious she didn't see me as she put down her basket and angled her bow in her hand as her other reached behind her back. "I can sense you demon. Come out now." She warned, and I was cautious as I watched her. She seemed familiar, and as I started thinking about it, her smell was sort of familiar too.

I took a step forward and in an instant she had an arrow locked into her bow. Her eyes met mine and then widened as she pulled back and let the arrow drop from her hands onto the ground. I walked forward with my hands up, and she was quick to keep the distance between us. "Please, I want help." I begged and at my words she pulled another arrow and locked it more furiously this time. I saw as she reached for it that she had the same black beads that were around the human I kept seeing in my memories. "A priestess put a curse on me." I added as she stared at me with careful eyes.

"I know." She slit them, trying to hide her fear. "I put it there." She spat, and I felt my heart drop into my stomach.

"Why…" I asked as my hand reached up to my chest as I stared at the arrow, one of the ones that had killed me.

"You don't remember do you?" she laughed slightly almost sadistically. "Well, no matter, I don't intend to let you live." She pulled the arrow back and released, and I had barley any time to get out of the way as the arrow was enveloped in a pink light. The tree whizzed past my head and right into a tree. She quickly rearmed her bow and shot at me again, and this time I turned to run, but the arrow sliced through my upper arm, cutting me pretty badly.

I ran through the trees, trying to get away as best as I could, and was thankful I was at least part demon for once. I was faster than her, and she was but a human. I was a coward, and I wasn't sad to admit it. What had I done to her? Why had she killed me? I was sniffing for Sesshomaru and was surprised when I could smell him so close. I stopped and turned, and almost smacked my face right into him. I looked up, my heart thumping uncontrollably and my breathing harsh and quick.

Tears started welling up in my eyes, and I couldn't do anything to stop them. I felt as my ears flattened against my head, and my tail stopped moving. I looked up at him as they started to spill over my cheeks and he looked down at me as if nothing I was doing affected him at all. "You were right…" I choked through my sobs. "She…she was the one that killed me. She had killed me and I've no idea why." I brought my hands up to my face and pushed them onto my eyes.

"Stop." He said simply and sniffled and looked up at him. "Stop." His eyes were softer and his lips were more of a frown than a thin line like they usually were. I swallowed hard and squeezed my eyes shut trying to stop crying. I bit my bottom lip and nodded. He looked back up and started walking past me, and I turned to follow him. It was such a small demand, but because he said it I wanted to do it for him.

I wanted him to speak more though, and mainly I wanted him to say something about the kiss. "Sesshomaru…" I said quietly as I followed behind him. He made a questioning hum and I continued. I wasn't going to stop thinking about the woman, but to get my mind off her I could start with him. "Why…why did you kiss me last night?" I asked suddenly. "I thought that maybe it might have meant something to you." I added daringly and he stopped in his tracks and I nearly bumped into his back.

I wanted to see the reaction of his face, but all I could see was the back of his silver head. "Don't ask such silly things." He continued to walk and I blinked a couple of times and watched him walk in front of me. I smiled to myself because he didn't say anything hurtful, yet simply brushed it off. Maybe, just maybe, I meant something to him. It didn't matter if that priestess had killed me in the past, and it didn't matter why she wanted me dead. I would get my memories back, and everything would be revealed. One day, I would kill her.


End file.
